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Cianciana

Cianciana sits a crest the southern side of Mount Calvario, 390m above sea level, overlooking the breath taking views of the Platani Valley. It's 70km south of Palermo and 25km northwest of Agrigento. Cianciana was named after a Roman patrician named Lucio Cincio Alimento. The name of the town developed to 'Villa Chincana' in the Byzantine era and it was destroyed at the end of the 14th century by an earthquake. From the earthquake to 17th Century there is evidence of occupation from the Punics, Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Normans. The mountain top town as it is now was founded in 1646 by the Joppolo family which named the town 'Saint Anthony of Cianciana'. For decades Cianciana was known for it’s sulphur mines and the inhabitants were given the name of the sulfarara. The sulphur was vital to fertilise the land for farming and for disinfectants. In 1962 the mines were closed and thousands of inhabitants left Cianciana to look for work in Italy and abroad, particularly finding roots in a town called Hoddesdon in England which is now populated with over 3000s Ciancianesi.

The locals in Cianciana, Sicily, welcome newcomers with open arms and are eager to show you the best that their charming town has to offer. Cianciana’s main industry now is farming and agriculture which provides shops with the tastiest fresh eggs, fruit and vegetables daily. For ten months of the year this small town, with a population of 3000, is tranquil and intimate. However the bubbly locals never allow the town to get too quiet with a variety of festas and events. The summer months of July and August are when Cianciana residents living elsewhere, come to the town with their family and friends to visit their relatives. The town’s population grows to 30,000 and comes alive in the evening with families enjoying the night time air, bustling festas and markets. During the summer locals and holiday makers head to a variety of stunning, untouched beaches nearby which takes 30 minutes by car from Cianciana.There is wonderful warmth about this little town, from its people to the charming architecture and it will truly make you not want to leave.

Chiesa del Carmine, Carmine Church.The Carmine Church was built in the 18th Century by a local man called Palermo who, blessed by his wife’s recovery from a fatal illness was inspired to build the Carmine Church. The locals appreciated Palermo’s vision and helped to complete this divine building.

Chiesa del Purgatorio, Purgatory Church.

This stunning neoclassical style building was built also in the 18th Century by the town’s farmers, the terrazzani. The bell tower was built at the same time as the church while the clock tower on the other side of the church was built in 1908 and modelled on the incredible clock on Piazza della Signora in Florence. This clock tower is now the base for the traffic police of Cianciana.

Chiesa Madre, The Mother Church.

The beautiful Mother Church was the first church to be built in Cianciana. Building began in 1525 during the Norman period when Cianciana was ruled by Girolamo Ficarra. Construction of the church happened in stages up to it’s completion in 1640 ahead of the birth of the Saint Anthony of Cianciana in 1646. The Mother Church sits in the original square, Piazza Aldo Moro. This is the most important church in Cianciana and is where the weddings and funerals occur.

Chiesa di S.Antonio di Padova, Church of St.Anthony

The Joppolo Family, requested for this church to be built in 1665 and it was completed 5 years later, 1670. It is connected to the Franciscan Friars Minor Convent which is still active today. The architecture is a perfect example of Sicilian baroque softened by the simpler Franciscan style. This church houses the heart of one of the Ludovico Joppolo who when dying in an African battle ask for his heart to be sent to his home and be buried in the church. Following this the church began to house the remains of the wealthier citizens of Cianciana, they were buried in niches placed along the buildings walls in bold locations with inscriptions for them to remembered by whilst the poorer citizens were buried in simple tombs underneath the church.

Palazzo del Michele, De Michele Palace

De Michele’s Palace was built in 1860 and it’s architecture represents the contact and influence of western cultures during this the period, particularly the English companies who controlled the mines. Each floor of the palace has a completely different style of architecture. The ground floor is of neoclassical style whilst the first floor has Gothic- Norman arches that frame the windows and the top floor has distinctive tudor arches.

Palazzo de Joppolo,Joppolo Palace

This palace was built during the Saracen period, originally used as a sighting tower to spot enemy attack. The underground of the building housed prisons and a tunnel which facilitated escape to the valleys if attack occurred. In the 17th Century the tower was changed into a palace for the newly titled Duke Ludovico Joppolo. The next half of The 17th Century saw the palace under new ownership as it was bought by Vincenzo di Giovanni whose father, Gaetano had the long standing position as town mayor of the town.

De Michele’s Palace was built in 1860 and it’s architecture represents the contact and influence of western cultures during this the period, particularly the English companies who controlled the mines. Each floor of the palace has a completely different style of architecture. The ground floor is of neoclassical style whilst the first floor has Gothic- Norman arches that frame the windows and the top floor has distinctive tudor arches.

Palazzo de Joppolo,Joppolo Palace

This palace was built during the Saracen period, originally used as a sighting tower to spot enemy attack. The underground of the building housed prisons and a tunnel which facilitated escape to the valleys if attack occurred. In the 17th Century the tower was changed into a palace for the newly titled Duke Ludovico Joppolo. The next half of The 17th Century saw the palace under new ownership as it was bought by Vincenzo di Giovanni whose father, Gaetano had the long standing position as town mayor of the town.